The Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Saskatchewan is now accepting nominations for its 2026 Nation Builders & Community Recognition Awards, a long-running honours program that recognises people who have shaped civic, cultural and community life in the province.
Launched in 1995, the awards have acknowledged more than 320 individuals who have made lasting contributions to Saskatchewan and Canada. Each year, up to 10 people receive either a Nation Builders Award or a Community Recognition Award, reflecting both lifetime achievement and specific accomplishments in cultural and community life.
“Saskatchewan Ukrainians have been contributing to this province for more than a century; significantly and visibly playing a role in all aspects of its development.”
The Nation Builders Award is reserved for those whose leadership and long-term impact have left clear legacies, while Community Recognition Awards are given across five distinct categories: Creativity & Innovation; Cultural Preservation & Development; Leadership; Volunteerism; and Youth Achievement, which is intended for nominees under the age of 30.
Who can be nominated and how to apply
Nominees must have spent a notable portion of their lives in Saskatchewan or produced the primary body of their work while living in the province. Nominations can be submitted by individuals or groups. A complete nomination package requires several elements:
- a completed nomination form;
- a nomination statement of up to 400 words explaining the nominee’s contributions;
- the nominee’s biography;
- two letters of support.
All materials must be postmarked or emailed by Wednesday, Nov. 18. Packages may be mailed to Nation Builders & Community Recognition Awards, c/o UCC Saskatchewan, No. 2-604 22nd Street West, Saskatoon, SK S7M 5W1, or sent by email to info@ucc.sk.ca. The nomination guide and form are available through the UCC Saskatchewan online resource link.
What the awards recognise
The awards programme aims to highlight both prominent, long-term leaders and those whose achievements are emerging or focused on specific fields. The distinctions are structured so communities can celebrate elders and lifetime contributors as well as younger people and specialised practitioners who preserve language, arts and heritage.
| Award | Focus |
|---|---|
| Nation Builders Award | Lifetime impact, leadership and legacy |
| Community Recognition Awards | Achievement in Creativity & Innovation, Cultural Preservation & Development, Leadership, Volunteerism, Youth Achievement |
For rural communities across the province, the awards provide a chance to bring attention to local volunteers, artists and cultural leaders whose work often happens away from major centres. In small towns the work of a single teacher, organizer or artisan can reverberate through generations, making acknowledgement at a provincial level particularly meaningful.
Timing and ceremony
Successful nominees will be honoured at an awards gala scheduled for Saturday, March 6, which will take place in Saskatoon. The gala is a social and cultural event that also serves to document and publicise the contributions of Ukrainian Saskatchewan residents and their descendants across multiple spheres, from arts to civic life.
For nominators, gathering the required supporting letters and crafting a concise statement that captures decades of work can be a practical challenge. Community groups and family members often collaborate to build the background material that gives selection committees the context they need.
The UCC Saskatchewan awards are both ceremonial and archival: winners join a roster of honourees that reflects the changing ways Ukrainian culture and civic participation have shaped the province. In prairie towns and city neighbourhoods alike, the awards help preserve stories that might otherwise be local memory only.
People seeking the nomination form or further guidance can contact UCC Saskatchewan directly at info@ucc.sk.ca.
